Hello! Welcome to the next stop on the Two Can Keep a Secret blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. I'm really happy to share my thoughts on this book with you!
Author: Karen McManus
Pub. Date: January 8, 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 336
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, iBooks, TBD
Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.
The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.
Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.
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I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Two Can Keep a Secret lived up to my expectations! Every review I'd read had been singing its praises, and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. McManus has created a vivid, engaging, complex story that captured my attention until the very last page. All of the characters were detailed and interesting, and I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery alongside Ellery, Ezra, Mia and Malcom.
Ellery has been obsessed with true crime for years, so she jumps at the opportunity to do her own investigation. At first I was hesitant, because I hate it when the teenagers in books appear more capable than the adults, but that wasn't the case with this one. The police and adults were all doing their jobs, and they weren't sharing their investigation with the public. We learn later that the police had information Ellery and her friends did not, and that their secret sleuthing only helped a little.
There are so many mysteries in this one story! The disappearances, murders, and lies all tangled together to make one big, ugly mess. It was hard to determine what was relevant, and what was important but not related. Sadie, Ellery and Ezra's mother, was shady when it came to her past. She never talked about Sarah (her twin sister that went missing in high school), so Ellery and Ezra knew nothing about her. They went to live with their grandmother in a very small town, so everyone knew who they were by association. Sadie's cagey personality kept the twins in the dark, and they had discover a lot of truths on their own.
I really liked all of the characters in this book. I particularly loved the sibling relationship between Ellery and Ezra. They were close and always supported one another (even when things were crazy). Everything felt so natural and comfortable between them, and it was obvious they shared a connection. McManus didn't make their friendship feel forced, but simple and easy. Mia was an amazing friend, and Malcolm was sweet and genuine. Both Mia and Malcolm have siblings that were tied to a previous murder, so their lives haven't been normal in years. However, they've stuck together and made the best of their respective situations.
I always try to solve a mystery before the characters do, but I can honestly say that McManus kept me guessing throughout the entire book. There was conflicting information, more than one mystery, and too many variables. Everything makes sense at the end, and it was amazing how she was able to tie everything together. I'm already looking forward to reading her other book: One of Us Is Lying.
Ellery has been obsessed with true crime for years, so she jumps at the opportunity to do her own investigation. At first I was hesitant, because I hate it when the teenagers in books appear more capable than the adults, but that wasn't the case with this one. The police and adults were all doing their jobs, and they weren't sharing their investigation with the public. We learn later that the police had information Ellery and her friends did not, and that their secret sleuthing only helped a little.
There are so many mysteries in this one story! The disappearances, murders, and lies all tangled together to make one big, ugly mess. It was hard to determine what was relevant, and what was important but not related. Sadie, Ellery and Ezra's mother, was shady when it came to her past. She never talked about Sarah (her twin sister that went missing in high school), so Ellery and Ezra knew nothing about her. They went to live with their grandmother in a very small town, so everyone knew who they were by association. Sadie's cagey personality kept the twins in the dark, and they had discover a lot of truths on their own.
I really liked all of the characters in this book. I particularly loved the sibling relationship between Ellery and Ezra. They were close and always supported one another (even when things were crazy). Everything felt so natural and comfortable between them, and it was obvious they shared a connection. McManus didn't make their friendship feel forced, but simple and easy. Mia was an amazing friend, and Malcolm was sweet and genuine. Both Mia and Malcolm have siblings that were tied to a previous murder, so their lives haven't been normal in years. However, they've stuck together and made the best of their respective situations.
I always try to solve a mystery before the characters do, but I can honestly say that McManus kept me guessing throughout the entire book. There was conflicting information, more than one mystery, and too many variables. Everything makes sense at the end, and it was amazing how she was able to tie everything together. I'm already looking forward to reading her other book: One of Us Is Lying.
If you enjoy books that make you think and keep you on your toes, Two Can Keep a Secret is definitely worth reading. Even if you don't normally like mysteries or suspenseful books, I'd recommend this one! Great characters, a twisty story, and one hell of an ending.
